Comensalidade entre adolescentes brasileiros: uma análise a partir da modelagem de equações estruturais

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate, through the MEE, the influence of commensality on the dietary pattern of Brazilian teenagers based on third edition data from National School Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar - PeNSE), carried out in 2015. PeNSE is a survey cross-sectional study of a complex probabilistic sampling plan with representation for adolescents from public and private schools in Brazil. A theoretical model was developed, based on recommendations in the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, using structural equation modeling (stratified by sex) to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, hygiene and body satisfaction and commensality, and their influence on teenagers’ eating pattern. For males, age interferes in a significant and inversely proportional way, in the practice of commensality (CP: -0.28, p: 0.00). Regarding females, body dissatisfaction was negatively associated with commensality, with greater effect when compared to males (CP: -0.30, p: 0.00). Commensality had a positive influence on the healthy eating pattern for males (CP: 0.42, p: 0.00) and females (CP: 0.62, p: 0.00). In conclusion, the results show that commensality influences the pattern of adolescents, behaving differently between genders. These divergent results suggest the need for gender-specific interventions. Due to the importance of the theme addressed, further investigations into the protective role of commensality on adolescents' eating patterns are necessary.